By the Welcome Baby Care Doulas
It is not unusual, upon giving birth to your first child, to feel a sudden and desperate need to make the world a better place. To hope for community and government leaders who possess true integrity. To deeply mourn news of school shootings and other acts of violence, which seem driven by a disconnected society not fit for your perfect child. To worry–intensely–over the fate of the planet.
Suddenly, with your little one’s Earth in what seems like tremendous jeopardy, recycling seems important. Really important.
On April 21st, Welcome Baby Care will be hosting a fun and educational family festival called Growing Green Babies. Just in time for Earth Day, our plan is to celebrate environmentally concerned family decision making and parenting choices that tend toward natural.
But wait, what does this mean? Growing Green Babies? Is it teaching tiny tots about recycling? Is it putting my hemp-covered car seat in the back of an electric car?
Well, sort of. Those would certainly count as environmentally conscious activities, however, going green for baby need not be so…difficult. Natural and eco-friendly living includes a wide variety of choices, which are often easier (and more affordable) than the so-called convenient alternative. Cloth diapering. Home-made cleaning products. Non-toxic laundry detergent. Gentle naturally derived baby, bath, and beauty products. Air purification. Water filtration systems (over plastic bottles). Breastfeeding. Baby-wearing. Participating in a Community Supported Agriculture system (CSA). Organic gardening at home as a family bonding activity. Old fashioned wooden toys. Green, chem-free clothing. Or better yet, hand me downs.
The world of green parenting is wide and welcoming.
Perhaps this all seems like another thing to feel guilty about, another thing you’re not good enough at. Perhaps it seems overwhelming. Rest assured, when it comes to going green, you don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to stretch your budget uncomfortably. You don’t have to brag about your choices or feel ashamed in areas where you might fall short. Every little bit counts. If recycling is all that really interests you–great! Recycling alone does so much.
Our planet. Your babies. Their future.
This month on the blog we’ll be delving into some of these natural family niches–looking at enivironmentally friendly companies, sharing recipes for baby food (out of the jar), and discussing dirt-cheap cleaning products made from things already in your pantry. All leading up to our big festival, which will include participation in The Great Cloth Diaper Change, a world record breaking event. Can’t wait!